Webster Avenue
Webster Avenue is a major north–south thoroughfare in the Bronx, New York City, United States. It stretches for from Melrose, where it begins as a continuation of Melrose Avenue, to the Bronx–Westchester county line, where it continues north as Bronx River Road. There are no subway lines along this thoroughfare, unlike the streets it parallels—Jerome Avenue, The Grand Concourse, and White Plains Road, which all have subway lines —but until 1973, Webster Avenue north of Fordham Road was served by the IRT [Third Avenue Line|Third Avenue Elevated], served by the 8 train.
History
Webster Avenue was surveyed after the Civil War and lengthened in 1879 and 1882. According to the History in Asphalt book published by The Bronx County Historical Society, it is likely that the street was named after Department of Public Works engineer Albert L. Webster and/or surveyor Joseph O. B. Webster, who were both involved with the project to lengthen the street in the nineteenth century.Route description
Webster Avenue, which is wide for most of its length, begins as a continuation of Melrose Avenue in Melrose. It begins in a northward direction, parallelling the Metro-North railroad tracks and Brook Avenue. After about, East 167th Street intersects Webster Avenue and changes from a two-way road to one-way going westward. At Claremont Parkway, the still parallel Brook Avenue comes to an end, and Webster Avenue continues north. At, the Cross Bronx Expressway passes over Webster Avenue. East Tremont Avenue intersects it soon afterward, in the eastern section of Tremont. Most of the southern half of Webster Avenue is concurrent with US 1.Webster Avenue continues northerly by entering the eastern portion of the Fordham neighborhood. In Fordham, it forms a large intersection at Fordham Plaza with Decatur Avenue, East Fordham Road, and Third Avenue, across the street from Fordham University's Rose Hill campus. Decatur Avenue then parallels Webster Avenue on its west side as both roads continue north. Bedford Park Boulevard then intersects Webster Avenue in Bedford Park as it heads further north towards Woodlawn. Soon after the intersection with Bedford Park Boulevard, Mosholu Parkway crosses over Webster Avenue, and then Gun [Hill Road (Bronx)|Gun Hill Road] intersects it. Webster Avenue then intersects with East [233rd Street (Bronx)|East 233rd Street] and the Bronx River Parkway in Woodlawn, before becoming Bronx River Road as it enters Westchester County.
Transportation
The Metro-North Railroad's Harlem Line has several stations along Webster Avenue: Fordham station at Fordham Road; Botanical Garden station at Bedford Park Boulevard; and Williams Bridge station at Gun Hill Road. Additionally, the New York City Subway’s IRT Jerome Avenue Line, IND Concourse Line, and IRT White Plains Road Line, serve the avenue.The following New York City Bus routes serve Webster:
- The are the main buses, serving it south of East Gun Hill Road.
- The River Park Towers-bound run from East 180th Street to East 178th Street.
- The runs between East 167th and East 168th Streets.
- The serves the avenue north of East 233rd Street.